Method of making u-shaped pipe-bends.



J. KINDERVATER. METHOD OF MAKING U-SHAPED PIPE BENDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, I914.

Patented May 4, 1915.

ZSHEETS-SHEET I. T'zc zl I I WITNESSES: Z

x f3 m w A imam/Era" J. KINDERVATER.

METHOD OF MAKING U-SHAPED PIPE BENDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. I914.

Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-Sfl'EET 2.

fin/gum WITNESSES W 82.

W A TTURNEYS I ii Tara OFFICE.

.:=' ran comranr, or new 1";

r JULIUS xmnsnvarna', or arcnmonn, vraexnm, assienoa ".lO LOCOMOTIVE surna- N. Y., a conroaarron-or DELAWARE.

METHOD E AKING 'U-SHAPED PH'E-BENDS.

' To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, JUtIUs KINDERVATER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond, county of Henrioo, State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Im rovement in a Method of Making U-shaped ipe-B'ends, 'of which the followthough such pressure and temperature conditions are absent.

Various ways of making bends of the- .above character for similar purposes have been proposed; The present invention comprises a method which, as contrasted with known methods is of extreme simplicity, involve only very simple tools and dies, can be carried out by comparatively unskilled workmen, and involves very little waste 'of material.

The object of my invention is to provide a pipe bend of the character specified which may be simply, easily and economically manufactured as aforesaid; which shall not involve any undue stretching or ,stram of the pipe walls at any point, and which shall be adapted to withstand high pressures and high temperatures when used under such high pressure and high temperature condi- My invention will be better understood by referring to. drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a central axial section through a pipe length and dies as the same are positioned to expand and shape the opening at the side of the end of the pipe, as willhereafter be described; Fig. 2 is a plan view, taken from below, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section, taken along the line 3-3, of Fig; 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the end cap used in the preferred form of bend made according to my invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a complete pipe bend, in its preferred form, made according to my invention; Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-4 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the end of a specification of Letters Patent. Application fil ed m a, 1914. Serial No. 849,678.

Patented May 4, 1915.

pipe 1, which isto be united to a similar pipe by a pipe bend according to my inventlon, is first provided with a narrow axial slot 2 (shown dotted, Fig. 3) on one side; this slot begins a short distance from the end proper and has a length, preferably, of two and a half or three times the pipe diameter so as to assure an 'ample section across the bend to be formed for the passage of the steam or other fluid, as will hereinafter appear. This slot may easily be made with the aid of a small milling cutter or by a planing cut. The pipe end is then gripped, slot 2 downward, between a pair of clamping dies 3, 4, each of which is grooved to correspond with one half the cross section of the pipe. The lower die 4 is provided with a central slot 5 which extends beyond slot 2.

at each end by an amount substantially equal tothe thickness of the pipe wall and has a width substantially equal to the width (outside) which it is desired to give to the connection between the pipes when the bend is completed; the ends of the slot are rounded as are also the edges where the slot opens into the groove of the die. A mandrel 7 fits easily within the bore of the pipe and has a slot 8 on its lower side which extends from its outer end to a point 6 coincident with the end 6 of slot 2 in the pipe wall; the width of slot 8 is substantially that of slot 5 less twice the wall thickness of the pipe. A rectangular opening or spreading die 9, the bottom of which has the form of a sharpened wedge'and the top of which is inclined with respect to the top of slot 8, is .then inserted in said slot and dropped with its wedge shaped edge in slot 2 of the wall of the pipe (Fig. 3). A wedge 10 is then entered between the opening die 9 and the adjacent wall of mandrel 7 and driven home in any suitable manner. As the'wedge 10 is driven in, the sharp lower edge of opening die 9 is forced into slot 2 of the pipe wall which is thereby thrown ,outwardly so as to form an elongated opening 11 bounded by flangedwalls 12. These walls are then faced ofl parallel to the axis of the pipe and mandrel and dies removed. A pair of pipes 1, having had openings 11 formed therein, as just described, is arranged parallel to one another with the flanged edges 10 abutting. These abutting edges are then welded together in any suitable manner, preferably electrically. A cap two countersinks,

13 (Fig. 4), preferably drop-forged, solid and countersunk at 14, 15 to receive the two sponding recesses which are readily c0un-' tersunk in a lathe or drill press. If I desire, however, I may so position this'slot that it is open clear through to the end of the pipe; in such case the contour of the united pipe ends to which a cap is to be united will be about as shown in Fig. 7, and the countersinking of the cap is rendered correspondingly more diflicult. I may, however, dispense with the countersinking and weld the flat surface of the face directly to the tube ends if I prefer.

In the form first described (Figs. 5 to 7 I may, instead of using the solid cap with (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) merely use two independent conical caps each one of which is independently countersunk and welded to one tube end. This construction is indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 5.

Variations of detail may be made within the spirit of my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim- 1. The method of making U shaped pipe bends which comprises app ying pressure to the inner side of the pipe wall so as to form an opening therethrough bounded by a continuous closed flange abutting and Welding said flanges of two pipes together, and then closing the ends of the joined pipes.

2. The method of making U shaped pipe welding a cap to bends which comprises applying pressure to the inner side of the pipe wall so as to form an opening therethrough bounded by a continuous closed flange, abutting and welding said flanges of two pipes together, and then the adjacent end of the joined pipes.

3. The, method of making U shaped pipe bends which comprises app ying pressure to the inner side of the pipe in a region extending axially, ending before the pipe end is reached, and of limited length so as to form an opening therethrough bounded by flanges, abutting and welding said flanges of two pipes together, and then welding a solid cap to the open end of each pipe.

4. The method of making U shaped pipe bends which comprises applying pressure to the inner side of the pipe in a region extending axially, ending before the pipe end is reached, and of limited length so as to form an opening therethrough bounded by flanges, abutting and welding said flanges of two pipes together, and then providing a solid cap countersunk to correspond with the pipe end and welding the same thereto.

5. The method of making U shaped pipe bends which comprises making a narrow longitudinal slit in the pipe wall beginning at a limited distance from one end and be fore the pipe end is reached, applying pressure from within the pipe to the edges of said slit so as to expand and spread them and form an opening through the pipe.

bounded by flanges, abutting and welding said flanges of two pipes together, and then welding a solid cap to the open end of each pipe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS KINDERVATER. Witnesses:

JNo. S. Aeunw, L. E. DINGMAN. 

